Closures for open automobiles



Sept. 9, 1930. w. J. SPIRO GLCSURB FOR OPEN AUTOMC JBILES Filed July 12, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

5. AT 0R 5 Sheet-Sheet 2 1 IINVENZTOR.

- ATTO Ex 5.

W. J. SPIRO CLOSURE FOR OPEN AUTOMOBILES Filed July 12, 1926 Sept. 9, 1930.

Sept. 9, 1930. w. .1. SPIRO 1,775,539

CLOSURE FOR OPEN AUTOMOBILES Filed July 12, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

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INVENTOR.

Sept. 9, 1930. w. J. sPlRo I CLOSURE FOR OPEN AUTOMOBILES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 12, 1926 Sept. 9, 1930.

w. J. SPIRO 1,775,539

CLOSURE FOR OPEN AUTOMOBILES Filed July 12, 1926 s Sheets -Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

I as

i p Patented 9,1930

" E s -\T "WALTER .tfsrmo, on WHITE PLAINS, NEW YoR-K cnos REs r03 .ornn Aoroiuomms application nieii mm, 1926'. serial nol zn'zss."

provide a constructionwhich although substantial will be simple and may be manufac. tured at moderate cost. 1 H

tion will appear hereinafter. v

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Other objects and advantages of i "Figure 1- is. a side elevation of a car with p the panels attached- F igures2 and 3 areenlargedsideeleva tions, certainparts beingbrokenaway to better illustrate the construction and mode of attachment to the car. r

Figures 4 and -5 are sections onthe lines and 5 5 respectively of Figure. 3. Figures 6 and 7 are sections on the lines 6-6 and7 7 of Figures 2 and 8.

Figure 8 is an enlarged section onthe line' 8-8 ofFigure2.

Figure 9 is a detailperspective view ofwthe panels from the inside of the car the line 10-10 of Figure 6. I

Figure 11 is a detail perspective view.

Referring to the drawings, it will be observed that the enclosure provided is adaptedtobe used in cooperation with the ordinary l collapsible or permanent top of an open autoy mobile At the rear of (the car thereis formed between the body and .top a sub-- stantially 'triangular space in which is mounted a panel 1 also substantially triangular in shape. The said panel coni sists of a pane of glass or other transparentmaterial held in a frame, onemember of which, designated by 2, is adapted to lie along the inside of the usual bow 3 which supports the top. The bottom member 4 of the frame is adapted to fitjover the upper om windandrainprovided by closed adapted to be seoured thereto by means of the bent upwardly at its end to provide atongue edge of the body between the rear door and the bow 3, and abraoket-5 is secured to the frame having an aperture therein adapted to fit over the stud 6 which supports" the bow 3,

and may beretained thereon by means of a 551:

nut or pinin the usual manner. The top, member of the frame is provided with a shackle'8 which maybe secured around the bow 9 to provide a substantially rigid support for the upper side of the panel. The front member 10 of the frame mav consist of a channelbar attachedin any suitable manner tothe top andbottom members? and l respectivelyof theframe.

neath the forward end of the topais a fitting V 11 having a cylindrical aperture12 therein" 1 adapted to fit over the stud 13 at the top of the usual wind shield support 14 and is screw 15. Fixed to the fitting 11 andsupported thereby is one end of theangle iron 16 which extends longitudinallyofthe c r, the other end beingsecured to the upper me ber 7 of the panel 1 asillustrated in Figure3.

The fitting llis'also provided with awertically disposed cylindrical aperture21 ar rangedon a "line passing through the hinges supporting the front door 22 andforms in effectpart'of a hinge for thepanel 23 which is secured tothedoor 22. p The panel28conp sists of'two side members 24'and 25 consist- Figure 10 is an enlarged'sectional view on shaped metal fittingZfi adapted to fit overthe i i "upperedge of the door. At theback of the door'the panel is provided with an up-turned ll-shapedmetal fitting29 having astud 30 adapted to {fit into theusual apertures pro vicled in the doors for holding curtain; rods. If desired, themember 29may be adjustably securedto the panel-by means of thebolts 31 and s1ots32. The top of the panel has secured thereto aflat metal strip 33 which-is At theifr'o'ntvof. the car and mountedbe-f by means of 34 to cooperate with the aperture 21 previously described. As will be observed, when the door 22 is swung open in the usual manner the panel 23 will swing with it, the top of the panel being supported by cooperation of the tongue 34 and the aperture 21.

The rear door 41 is provided with a panel 42 which is similar in construction to that provided for the front door. In order to support the top of the panel, a fitting 43 is mounted on the angle iron 16,- said fitting having an aperture therein which is substantially aligned with the hinges of the back door. A strip 43 having its end bent upwardly to provide the tongue 44 is secured to the top of the panel 42, and said tongue cooperates with the aperture to provide a hinge supporting the panel.

'The intervening section of the body between the front and back doors is protected the panel 51 which is similar in construction to the panels 23 and 42. This panel is mounted on the panel 23 by means of the spring hinges 52 and 52, the springs of which normally retain the panel in closed position with its bottom frame member overlying the upper edge of the body. Upon application of pressure from the inside, however, the panel 51 may be swung outwardly and provides a convenient opening through which the hand may be projected for signalmg.

It may be desirable, however, to use the panels 51 for ventilation and, accordingly, the cord 54 is provided which may be attached to the panel 23 and which may pass looselythrough the aperture 55 of the panel 51. The cord may be provided with a ring 56 which maybe secured over any one of a series of lugs 57 attached to the panel 51 in order that the panel may be held open in any one of a plurality of positions of adjustment.

In order that the enclosure may not'rattle when the automobile to which it is attached is driven over rough roads or streets, a strip of rubber or other suitable shock absorbing material may be laid over the doors and between the doors and other parts of the body and the panels, as for instance, the strips 61, 62 and 63. Also, in order that the cracks between adjacent panels may be protected, the strips 64, 65 and 66 'may be provided, each strip extending from the top to the bottom of the panels.

As the construction of each of the panels of the enclosure is substantially the same except as regards dimensions, only one will be described in detail herein. For instance, the

panel 23 comprises the two substantially vertic al members 24 and 25 preferably formed of metal of channel shape having its edges bent inwardly as shown in Figure 8. The ends of the members 24 and 25 are secured by means of suitable bolts or screws to the substantially horizontal members'26 and 27 which may preferably be of wood. The outside surface of each of the metal members 24 and 25 may be covered with suitable fabric material such as imitation leather and the edges of this material may be permitted to lie within the channel members and be tween the pane of glass or other transparent material and the metal edge to act a packing to prevent undesirable rattles or squeaks. The horizontal members 26 and 27 are grooved to provide ledges 70 as a seat for the glass and the glass may be conveniently held inplace by strips 71 of wood, rubber, or other suitable material.

In assembling the panels it may be convenient to first form the outside frame consisting of the two horizontal and two vertical members after which the pane of glass may be inserted by sliding one edge thereof into one of the channels until the opposite edge can be received into the opposite channel. Then after centering the pane, strips 71 may be secured in place at the top and bottom to hold the glass securely in position. lVhenever the panes are broken, they may be easily replaced in the same manner.

It is to be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subj oined claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a closure device for open automobiles comprising a plurality of panels of transparent material, aventilating devicen'iounted between the front and rear doors of the automobile, means for hingedly attaching said ventilating device to an adjoining panel, and means for adjusting said ventilating device to any desired position, said means comprising a cord passing through apertures in the ventilating panel and in the panel to which it is hinged, a plate mounted on said ventilating panel, and a ring on said cord adapted to cooperate with any one of a plurality of lugs mounted on said plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this seventh day of July, 1926.

WALTER J. SPIRO.

EGO 

